Bring back our sailors: Goa Opposition leader writes to PM

Digambar Kamat, leader of the opposition in Goa has requested the PM Narendra Modi to facilitate the repatriation of nearly 8,000 Goan sailors, among 22,473 Indian seafarers, who are stranded in various ships across the globe due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Opposition, as well as families of stranded seafarers, have also requested CM Pramod Sawant to facilitate their repatriation.

Panaji (Goa): Goa Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat on Tuesday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to facilitate the repatriation of nearly 8,000 Goan sailors, among 22,473 Indian seafarers, who are stranded in various ships across the globe due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The Leader of Opposition has sent an email to the Prime Minister of India requesting his immediate intervention in bringing back 7,000 to 8,000 Goan seafarers stranded on various ships across the globe.

The email consists of details of almost 199 cruise ships which are presently at various locations with almost 22,473 Indian seafarers onboard," his office said in a statement issued here.

"He has also enclosed a chart showing details of various cruise ships with names of the shipping companies, their current location, number of Indian crew members and other details compiled after collecting information from Goan Seafarers Association, family members of the seafarers and others which will help the Indian authorities to track the seafarers," the statement also said.

The Opposition as well as families of stranded seafarers have also requested Chief Minister Pramod Sawant to facilitate their repatriation.

Sawant has maintained that the state government was in the process of creating quarantine facilities for the sailors, once they return to Goa, but added that the decision to repatriate them would be taken by the central government soon.

IANS report.